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Staff Report
June 4, 2010

In an ideal world, we'd spread the Prospect Hot Sheet love around to every team. But this isn't pee wee soccer. Sometimes life just isn't fair. So don't complain if this week's list seems overrun with Rays and Braves prospects.

You may have noticed that the Prospect Hot Sheet looks a little different this year. The content is the same, but we've partnered with Bowman Baseball to present Hot Sheet. So in addition to getting the skinny on which prospects are doing the most to help their stock, you can also get a glimpse at the baseball cards of some of baseball's best prospects.

As we have warned for years now, remember that this is not a re-ranking of the Top 100 Prospects. This is a snapshot of which top prospects are excelling and which ones are struggling right now. Stats cover the dates May 28 through last night, June 3.

Contributing: Ben Badler, J.J. Cooper, Matt Eddy, Josh Leventhal and Jim Shonerd.

No. 1

JAKE McGEE, LHP

RAYS

Team: Double-A Montgomery (Southern)
Age: 23
Why He's Here: 1-0, 0.00, 13 IP, 8 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 15 SO
The Scoop: Two years ago, the debate was Wade Davis or Jake McGee—who do you take? The Rays pitching prospects were joined at the hip as teammates in every season from 2004 through '08, at which point McGee ranked as the seventh-best pitching prospect in the game while Davis checked in at No. 8.

Their career paths diverged midway through that '08 season, when Tommy John surgery knocked out McGee for a year. So while Davis was flashing frontline starter potential in Triple-A and then in the Rays' big league rotation, McGee was struggling to get high Class A hitters out in his return last season. The way McGee began the 2010 season wasn't too promising either.

But hold on. McGee hasn't allowed a run over his last 13 innings, and he's done so by racking up strikeouts and limiting his walks. After making it out of the fifth inning just once in his first seven starts, McGee has gone seven and six innings in his last two starts, including a May 28 outing that stretched him out to 87 pitches. Whether McGee remains a starter remains to be seen, but this week has been the most encouraging week for McGee since he returned from TJ.

2010 Stats

No. 2

GRANT GREEN, SS

ATHLETICS

Team: high Class A Stockton (California)
Age: 22
Why He's Here: .571/.600/.857 (16-for-28), 7 R, 4 2B, 2 3B, 4 RBIs, 1-for-1 SB
The Scoop: The Athletics' first-round pick last year may have gotten off to a slow start in his first significant pro action, but as soon as May rolled around, Green has taken charge at the plate. After hitting just three home runs last year at Southern California, Green has continued to show more gap power than fence-clearing bombs, but as long as he keeps piling up doubles and triples like this, no one with the A's will mind.

2010 Stats

No. 3	MIKE TROUT, CF	ANGELS
Team: low Class A Cedar Rapids (Midwest) Age: 18 Why He's Here: .500/.567/.667 (15-for-30), 1 HR, 2 2B, 10 R, 5 RBIs, 2 BB, 3 SO, 5-for-5 SB The Scoop: Trout ranks just fourth in the Midwest League with his .560 slugging percentage. We'll let that slide, seeing as he leads the circuit in five important categories: average (.373), stolen bases (28), hits (78), on-base percentage (.450) and runs scored (48). He went 0-for-5 on April 23, dropping his average to .338, but in 36 games since then he's been absolutely scalding. In that time, Trout has gone 56-for-144 (.389) with all six of his homers, eight of his nine doubles, a 16-to-22 walk-to-strikeout ratio and a 20-for-23 showing on the bases. Slicing and dicing the data further, he now carries a .363 career average through 449 plate appearances. Can you recall any prospect, fresh out of high school, with this kind of feel for hitting? If you can, feel free to submit your answer in today's chat.
2010 Stats

No. 4	BRAD LINCOLN, RHP	PIRATES
Team: Triple-A Indianapolis (International) Age: 25 Why He's Here: 1-0, 0.00, 11 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 13 SO, 2 BB The Scoop: Those who have not had Tommy John surgery need not apply for top pitching honors this week. Lincoln had his 2007 season wiped out by the procedure, but since then the '06 first-rounder's climb through the organization has been sure and steady. Lincoln put Double-A behind him last year and now has gone 12-4, 3.89 with a 4-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 23 career starts in Triple-A. Yes, it does appear he's just about ready to make his debut in Pittsburgh, where the Pirates' starting staff, outside of Paul Maholm and Ross Ohlendorf, has given the pitching profession a bad name. In his past six starts for Indy, Lincoln is 4-1, 2.03 with 37 strikeouts, five walks and two homers allowed in 40 innings.
2010 Stats

No. 5

MIKE MINOR, LHP

BRAVES

Team: Double-A Mississippi (Southern)
Age: 22
Why He's Here: 0-0, 0.00, 8 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 11 SO
The Scoop: If you love pitching, there were few places better to be this season than Trustmark Park on Thursday. Facing off against Jake McGee (No. 1 on the Hot Sheet), Minor shut down the Montgomery lineup for eight innings. But with McGee matching him pitch for pitch, the game went into the 10th inning without a run being scored. Montgomery plated three for the win, for your information.

Minor has been even better than anyone could have expected this year. The seventh overall pick last year has shown improved velocity, excellent command and several out-pitches (he leads the minors with 91 strikeouts). Minor has been one of the better starting pitching prospects in the minors, though he faces stiff competition for that distinction within his own organization. Class A righties Julio Teheran, Arodys Vizcaino and Randall Delgado are all impressive in their own right.

2010 Stats

No. 6	RYAN KALISH, RF	RED SOX
Team: Triple-A Pawtucket (International) & Double-A Portland (Eastern) Age: 22 Why He's Here: .478/.556/.957 (11-for-23), 2 HR, 3 2B, 1 3B, 6 RBIs, 8 R, 3 BB, 4 SO, 1-for-1 SB The Scoop: A promotion to Triple-A (1-for-7, double, walk) took a bit of the steam out of Kalish's big week, but that promotion was well earned. In his previous four games for Portland, the 2006 ninth-round pick went 10-for-16 with two homers, two doubles and a triple. But that was only a microcosm of the lefthanded batter's fine work in May. In 87 at-bats on the month, Kalish batted .335/.430/.586 with four homers, seven doubles and an 11-to-14 walk-to-strikeout ratio. In fact, he still ranks among the Eastern League's leaders with 28 walks and a .404 on-base percentage. Talent evaluators don't absolutely love Kalish's tools, but it's hard to argue with the results.
2010 Stats

No. 7	J.J. HOOVER, RHP	BRAVES
Team: high Class A Myrtle Beach (Carolina) Age: 22. Why He's Here: 2-0, 2.25, 14 2/3 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 13 SO, 0 BB. The Scoop: Hoover has overcome a sluggish start to the year, his first full season in the starting rotation, and has overwhelmed hitters over the last four weeks. The two earned runs he yielded against Salem yesterday were his first since May 18. After a six-run disaster on May 3, the 2008 10th-round pick out Calhoun (Ala.) CC has yielded just seven runs and 30 hits in 34 innings over six starts. He has 35 strikeouts and six walks during that span. Hoover has excelled by pounding the strike zone with a fastball topping out at 94 mph, an above-average curveball and solid changeup.
2010 Stats

No. 8	REESE HAVENS, 2B	METS
Team: Double-A Binghamton (Eastern) Age: 23 Why He's Here: .360/.560/.840 (9-for-25), 3 HR, 1 2B, 1 3B, 6 RBIs, 6 R, 5 BB, 6 SO The Scoop: As discouraging as it was to see Havens miss yet more time with injury this season—in this case a strained oblique—he's proven to be worth the wait. He homered twice off Orioles righthander Chorye Spoone and once off Indians reliever Bryan Price this week, while continuing to show a discerning batting eye. That's not an anomaly. Power and patience have been Havens' strong suits—he has walked in 12 percent of his minor league plate appearances while boasting a .199 isolated power. For a middle infielder in the New York-Penn, Florida State and Eastern leagues, that's pretty darn good. Taken four picks after Ike Davis in the 2008 draft, Havens just might join Ike on the right side of the Mets infield later this season.
2010 Stats

No. 9

JULIO TEHERAN, RHP

BRAVES

Team: high Class A Myrtle Beach (Carolina)
Age: 19
Why He's Here: 1-0, 0.00, 8 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 14 SO
The Scoop: As well as the Braves' top pitching prospects have performed this season, none can match the numbers Teheran is putting up. The minors' ERA leader at 0.90 in 60 innings, he's making his fourth Hot Sheet appearance this season. Let's just say that he hasn't skipped a beat since moving up to Myrtle Beach from low Class A Rome a couple weeks ago.

South Atlantic League hitters were no match for Teheran's power fastball, deceptive changeup and promising curveball. And their Carolina League brethren have fared no better. In three starts with the Pelicans, Teheran has put up an electrifying 28-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio, with a pair of double-digit strikeout efforts. He's given up only one run in those three starts—a solo homer in the second inning of his Pelicans debut. He's embarked on a 19-inning shutout streak since then. In addition to leading the minors in ERA, he's also sixth in strikeouts (73) and fourth in opponent average (.174).

2010 Stats

No. 10	NICK FRANKLIN, SS	MARINERS
Team: low Class A Clinton (Midwest) Age: 19. Why He's Here: .435/.480/.522 (10-for-23), 1 2B, 3 HR, 4 RBIs, 7 R, 2 BB, 3 SO. The Scoop: Franklin has quickly proven that his brief but successful pro debut last year was no fluke. The 2009 first-round pick hit safely in all but seven games in May and carried a six-game hitting streak into June. The Mariners tabbed Franklin for his up-the-middle defensive profile, but the switch-hitter also has shown an advanced bat in the pitcher-friendly Midwest League. Four of his 10 hits this week went for extra-bases, including his third two-homer outing of the season last night in Bowling Green. Franklin's .325 average ranks eighth in the league, and his 11 home runs rank third—trailing just Jerry Sands (15) and teammate Kalian Sarns (13), both of whom have previous MWL experience.
2010 Stats

No. 11	JEREMY HELLICKSON, RHP	RAYS
Team: Triple-A Durham (International) Age: 23 Why He's Here: 1-0, 0.00, 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 SO The Scoop: You can debate whether he's the best pitching prospect in the minors now that Stephen Strasburg is headed to D.C., but there's little doubt that Hellickson is the most big league-ready starter in the minors. He went 6-1, 2.51 in nine starts in Triple-A last year, but he has to settle for padding his IL resume this season. The reason: No one in the Rays' rotation has an ERA worse than 4.04. Hellickson hasn't been just taking it easy though. He's added a two-seam fastball with screwball-like action to go with his four-seamer, and he's also worked on a cutter. The combination of three different fastballs to go with a solid-average to tick-above-average curveball and a devastating changeup makes Hellickson a rare five-pitch pitcher. And he controls all five pitches—he's walked one or less in eight of his 11 starts this season.
2010 Stats

No. 12	ARODYS VIZCAINO, RHP	BRAVES
Team: low Class A Rome (South Atlantic) Age: 20 Why He's Here: 2-0, 0.00, 13 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 SO The Scoop: It hasn't been a great year for Braves' position prospects, but when the system boasts young arms like the Braves do, that may be just nitpicking. Four Braves made the cut this week, and at least one has been present in each of the last six weeks. Vizcaino has dominated the Sally League as a 20-year-old, and he's doing it with elite stuff, including a mid- to high-90s fastball and a tight breaking ball. Perhaps most impressive: He hasn't walked a batter in 38 innings.
2010 Stats

No. 13	DREW CUMBERLAND, SS	PADRES
Team: high Class A Lake Elsinore (California) Age: 21 Why He's Here: .519/.517/.889 (14-for-27), 2 HR, 2 2B, 1 3B, 10 R, 7 RBIs, 1 BB, 4 SO, 2 SF, 0-for-2 SB The Scoop: Cumberland's talent was obvious during his two-year stay with low Class A Fort Wayne. He makes all kinds of contact from the left side, he's a plus runner and high-percentage basestealer, and he has the range to stick on the middle infield. It's just that he spent so much time on the shelf in 2008 and '09 that he appeared in just 130 total games. Cumberland has exacted his revenge on the Cal League this season—he leads the circuit in average (.388) and runs scored (50), while ranking third in slugging (.612) and fifth in stolen bases (16). Talk about consistency: Cumberland went 3-for-4 on Opening Day and his average has not dipped below .300 all season. It peaked at .408.
2010 Stats

IN THE TEAM PHOTO

Phillies RF Domonic Brown is reaching monster status. The 22-year-old went 11-for-30 with two home runs this week for Double-A Reading, giving him a .317/.392/.610 line through 47 games. It's only June, but those are Minor League Player of the Year type of numbers . . . The Indians' 21-year-old RHP Alex White has made a smooth transition to Double-A Akron, holding down a 1.83 ERA in three starts. This week, White allowed just two earned runs in 12 2/3 innings while walking three and striking out nine . . . Rangers LHP Robbie Ross won't wow you in the same way a guy like Julio Teheran would, but he's been just as effective over the last month. In six of his past seven starts for low Class A Hickory, Ross hasn't given up an earned run, and in those six starts, he's allowed just 29 baserunners in 40 innings. He owes much of his success to a lively low 90s fastball that induces one groundball after another . . . Dodgers RHP Elisaul Pimentel's best performance this year will be hard to top—with the help of a teammate he helped save a motorcyclist's life on Mother's Day after the cyclist hit a turkey. Consider this some karmic payback, as Pimentel has followed that up with some outstanding pitching. Since his Mother's Day save, Pimentel is 4-1, 1.29 in six starts for low Class A Great Lakes. This past week he worked 13 scoreless innings, allowing only four hits and four walks while striking out 16 . . . Rays CF Ty Morrison went 9-for-20 (.450) for low Class A Bowling Green on the week, showing speed (2-for-2 stolen bases, two triples) and a dollop of power (one homer, two doubles, .900 slugging). It's an encouraging development for Tampa Bay's 2008 fourth-round pick, a 19-year-old lefthanded batter who cut his teeth in Rookie ball the past two season . . . Cubs RHP Chris Archer (Cubs) has all but shut out opponents in the two starts since posting the unique line of 3 innings, 3 hits, 5 earned runs. The high Class A Daytona righthander limited Jupiter to just one hit over six shutout innings on May 28. Archer, 21, followed that up on Monday with a four-hit, one-run outing in a victory against Charlotte, improving his overall record to 3-1, 3.47 with 55 strikeouts and 21 walks in 49 innings. Quite impressively, Archer has given up just 15 hits and 12 walks over 35 innings since the start of May . . . High Class A Tampa 2B Corban Joseph (Yankees) went 33 games (124 at-bats) without a home run before he belted two against Bradenton on Wednesday, part of a 4-for-5, 5-RBI game for the 2008 fourth-round pick. The single-game power display for Joseph highlighted an 8-for-20 week that included a seven-game hitting streak. Perhaps Joseph's prior power drought would have been a concern if he hadn't raised his average from .290 to .312 during that span and already matched his season total for homers (four) from last season with low Class A Charleston.

NOT-SO HOT SHEET

• Carlos Carrasco, rhp, Indians. As one of the key pieces netted in the trade of Cliff Lee, the 23-year-old Carrasco already is well accustomed to high expectations. So life was swell for Carrasco after his first four starts for Triple-A Columbus, when his record stood at 2-1, 2.59 with 23 whiffs in 24 1/3 innings. But his fast track to Cleveland has been derailed by the six starts that followed. In that time, Carrasco has run up a 6.11 ERA to go with his 23-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 35 1/3 innings. This week, he won twice despite allowing 12 runs on 19 hits (four of them home runs) in 13 innings of work.

• Derrick Robinson, cf, Royals: Speed is the name of the game for Robinson, but it does the Texas League steals leader little good if he can't get on base. That essentially was the case for the Double-A Northwest Arkansas outfielder last week, as he went just 2-for-26 with two walks and (not surprisingly) no stolen bases. Robinson is just 1-for-19 over his last five games—a stark drop off after putting together an eight-game hit streak that included four stolen bases.

• Trevor May, rhp, Phillies: Good news: May has 68 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings for high Class A Clearwater. Bad news: he has 39 walks and a 6.02 ERA. May, 20, has quality stuff, but you're not going to find any successful pitchers who walk eight batters per nine innings. May will probably never be known for pinpoint control, but he should see his walk rate go down with more experience.

• Alex Colome, rhp, Rays: Colome, 21, is a terrific prospect and is having an excellent year for low Class A Bowling Green, but his last start doesn't have an alibi—it's ugly. Colome gave up six runs (five earned) and lasted just four innings at Clinton on Wednesday. What got Colome in to trouble was the long ball, as he served up four home runs on the night. Hitting two batters didn't help much, either.

MAN AMONG BOYS

• Kila Ka'aihue, 1b, Royals. The mayor of Omaha continued doing what he's done for three years now—draw plenty of walks and hit home runs. Ka'aihue's .512 on-base percentage leads the minors (tied with fellow O-Royal Alex Gordon) and his 11 home runs are eighth among Triple-A batters. Ka'aihue will never be a defensive whiz at first base and he's not a speedster, but his eye is very impressive—he's walked in 11 of his last 12 games. Encouragingly for Ka'aihue, it seems like his solid work is getting noticed. When he was sent back to Omaha last month, new manager Ned Yost explained that it was to make sure he'd get consistent at-bats, because he's part of the team's future. For a minor leaguer who's coming up on 4,000 minor league plate appearances (with a career .385 on-base percentage), that has to sound encouraging.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

• Adam Loewen, rf, Blue Jays. We've become accustomed to seeing the light-hitting position player make the switch to the mound. Recent examples include Sergio Santos and Tony Pena Jr. But now the reverse transition is gaining acceptance, and perhaps one day Rick Ankiel, Brian Bogusevic and Mike Stodolka will be regarded as pioneers of the conversion. Loewen, the highest-drafted Canadian ever, is proving himself as more than mere novelty with his play this season. He's batting .288/.384/.494 with seven homers in 170 at-bats for Double-A New Hampshire.

Naturally, the Orioles put Loewen, the fourth overall pick in 2002, on the mound when they signed him the next year as a draft-and-follow. He's 6-foot-6 and could reach 95 mph with sink from the left side, you know, back before his shoulder blew up. But don't be surprised if Loewen forges a career as a corner outfielder. In our '04 Prospect Handbook, we wrote that he "would have been drafted early as a power-hitting outfielder if he wasn't such a promising pitcher."

HELIUM WATCH

• Eliezer Mesa, cf, Rockies. Mesa signed with the Rockies in 2007 out of the Dominican Republic just as he was about to turn 18. Then he needed two years in the Rookie-level Pioneer League to refine his game. But the now 21-year-old center-field prospect has made up for a slow start by playing well for low Class A Asheville this season. While Mesa's numbers don't look quite so gaudy away from historic McCormick Field (.283/.327/.391 averages on the road), the righthanded hitter has made the most of favorable home hitting conditions to bat .340/.403/.508 with 18 doubles in 191 at-bats overall. (He ranks second in the South Atlantic League batting race and fifth in on-base percentage.) Mesa also is 14-for-16 on the basepaths and has drawn 20 walks already as the Tourists' leadoff man. One Pioneer League observer last season comped Mesa to Willy Taveras because, while he doesn't have much power, Mesa has plus speed and range in center, an average arm and a knack for barreling the ball. While that may seem like faint praise, it's actually quite a compliment for a player with as little experience as Mesa.

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